


To Start Anew

by onemoreword



Series: Arranged Marriage [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Gen, Minor Fluffs, Sibling friendship, family bonds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-24
Updated: 2019-11-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:01:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,883
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21539416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onemoreword/pseuds/onemoreword
Summary: A short side story/sequel to Arranged Marriage.A simple meeting between Uchiha Izuna and his very pregnant sister-in-law.Seriously, where the hell was Madara?
Relationships: Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Izuna, Referenced Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Madara
Series: Arranged Marriage [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552327
Comments: 65
Kudos: 580





	To Start Anew

Izuna breathed in the cool air that winter morning, his chakra flowing through his body and regulating the blood flow and temperature so that he did not freeze under the chill. It was a technique that all Uchiha children were taught and something he’d recently taught to the group of Academy students just yesterday. Though he smiled a bit when he remembered their excitement when mastering such a rudimentary technique, a part of him still paused in wonderment at the wisdom of this.

Teaching outsiders treasured techniques and skills that had only belonged within his family for so many generations.

Aniki had been the first one to suggest this when the council had gotten together for another meeting. It had surprised everyone, but especially Tobirama. Izuna knew the white haired fool regarded the Uchiha with distrust and quite frankly, the feeling was mutual. However, even he had to begrudgingly admit that there had been something akin of cautious respect from the man when aniki had made his case to the council.

This was Sakura-san’s influence, no doubt. Aniki would have never even fathom sharing guarded skills like this without her suggesting so.

The council had been at an uproar. How could they share something that belonged to their family and their family alone? Sharing secrets like this meant they were losing their own set of skills. It was what made them stronger and unique. Valuable, if one was to put it into mercantile terms.

* * *

_ “Stronger for whom?” Madara inquired mildly, though there was steel in his eyes. “For your clan? Do you and your clan still consider yourself to be strangers to the village? Are we not your family as well?” _

_ The councilman who had spoken up sputtered, staring at Madara in disbelief. _

_ “I am not proposing that we give away everything at once and it is understandable that there are some things that are meant to be left behind as inheritances. There is also the factor of how some skills are reliant on kekkai genkai. I have not forgotten any of this.” Madara stated as he settled back down at his seat, ignoring the way Hashirama stared at him. “However, this village is now our family, our clan. We are one. For that to work, we cannot continue treating one another as an outsider or former enemy. This means, we need to share, just as we would share with any cousin or sibling that we have.” _

* * *

The passion in aniki’s eyes had been honest. Well, aniki had always been a bit of a block-head when it came to things like this. In a manner of speaking, one may even regard him as sweet in that sense.

Izuna shook his head in fond exasperation before his eyes sharpened.

But this was why he had to do what aniki couldn’t. Blood stained even the wooden floors of an average household. Infighting within clans were perfectly normal, expected even, so it would not be so different within the village as well. Izuna had no intention of making the first move, but if the fucking silver haired Senju even thought about-.

“Izuna-san,” a soft voice called up and he stilled in his footsteps, looking up to see the familiar bundle of pink hastily tied into that messy bun of hers. Izuna took a brief second to take in his surroundings, realizing that he’d wandered into his brother’s home grounds. 

“Sakura-san,” he greeted back as he approached in the entryway.

“Join me for tea?” she asked.

“I shouldn’t impose,” he replied hastily before his eyes zeroed in on her bulging stomach. Just a few months had passed and it had quickly grown so much. Unaccustomed to pregnant women, Izuna faltered on how to proceed.

“Please?”

Finding himself helpless, he agreed. “Tea sounds nice.”

She smiled and turned to return to the warmth of her home and Izuna was quick to follow, his sharingan instinctively turning on in fear that she’d trip and fall. Sakura-san was only five months pregnant. Was it normal for a woman to be this large by the fifth month? Should she even be walking around in her condition? Gods, how much bigger was she going to get later on?

Unfortunately, Izuna had been sent out on a diplomatic mission to another village soon after the jovial announcement of Sakura-san’s pregnancy. He’d been around long enough to share congratulations before having to leave. After his return a little while ago, he’d been busy assisting with the academy and preparing for the coming winter. 

And now...

Izuna stared weakly at the small frame of his sister-in-law’s back before reaching out to steady her, unable to handle how his nerves were panicking at how she was walking so slowly. She had to be walking slowly because she shouldn’t be, right? For a moment, he pondered if he should just pick her up and carry her around instead. Where the hell was aniki anyways? Leaving his pregnant wife behind like that?

There was a soft giggle. “I’m okay, Izuna-san. There’s no need to worry.”

“But...”

“Madara was the same way at first,” she remarked fondly, remembering how such a powerful man had blundered and bustled about at first. Then there was how he’d blow up whenever Hashirama would tease him, saying he was such a doting husband, only for Hashirama to freeze when Mito would dryly remark of how her dear husband had literally cried when she’d ignored his protest and had walked on her own when she’d been pregnant by only a few weeks. She hadn’t even been showing then. “He actually tried to make me stay at home throughout my entire pregnancy.”

Izuna winced, knowing that with Sakura’s fierce personality, that would have been a hopeless battle. But as he continued to hold his sister-in-law upright, noticing just how tiny she was compared to the devastating destruction she could cause with her fists, he couldn’t help but understand his brother’s perspective as well.

“Silly man. I’m still working at the hospital actually, so there’s no need for you to worry, Izuna-san. I’m fine.” she reassured, but saw that he’d paled instead.

The hospital? Filled with the wounded and sick? Was she crazy? She shouldn’t be anywhere near there in her delicate state! What if she were to also fall ill?

His thoughts must have clearly shown on his face since Sakura chuckled. “It’s fine. I’m the doctor here, remember?”

“Y-Yes,” he admitted, “but still...”

“Thank you for your concern, Izuna-san, but I’m fine. Really,” she patted his hand in reassurance before peeling it off of her, continuing her slow trek down the hallway. Sakura sighed, however, when Izuna carefully grabbed her arm and wound it around his own, making sure she was attached to him in case she were to slip fall over nothing.

The hallways were very well maintained by the servants and there was not a speck of dust on the floor, but Sakura knew arguing was moot point. Madara had cleverly pointed out that she could still slip  _ because _ the floors were so well-maintained. They could be quite slippery, after all, trained shinobi or not. It had made her fondly smile. The silly fool.

When they reached the sitting room, Sakura didn’t bother to argue when Izuna quickly and wordlessly rushed off to gather the seat cushions. She also wasn’t surprised when Izuna seemed to do some strange mental math, making sure to make a circle of cushions that were layered together like some lotus flower. Just in case the ground was too hard for her in her delicate state. 

“I’ll request the tea,” she heard his hasty words before he rushed off to find one of the servants working about.

It amazed Sakura that Madara and Izuna had so many siblings and cousins and yet, had no clue how to deal with actual pregnant people. She’d wanted to ask Madara about it, but, silly as it sounded since she was literally carrying his child, the question still seemed too painful to ask so she’d refrained from doing so. Perhaps another day, when the rumbles of war was far away, quelled by the soft coo of laughter of their children and the new generation of Konoha-nin.

Sakura settled down in the middle of the ridiculous amount of cushions, if only to appease Izuna’s fears. It didn’t seem like a bad idea anyways. Her back was getting sore these days and she missed Madara dearly, the feel of his warm body supporting her or how his hands would rub and press away the ache in her back. It also almost made her laugh at how Izuna had so artfully made the pillow arrangement, but had forgotten that getting up and down from the ground was one of the more harder parts of her pregnancy right now.

She sighed with the effort when she made it to the floor, resting her hand on top of her distended belly. Troublesome, Shikamaru would have said. Her eyes softened in wonder of what her friends would think if they could see her right now, the smiles on their faces in excitement over their pregnancy. Naruto would have probably cried, actually. She knew how precious family was to him.

Her eyes misted and she wanted to roll her eyes at how one of the joys of pregnancy meant being at the mercy of her hormones. She didn’t want to remember the times when she’d lost it over something ridiculous, but had seemed so very important at the moment. Madara had once come rushing in when he’d heard something break followed by her sobs. He’d thought she’d hurt herself or was crying over being clumsy, only to be completely confounded at how she was crying over how pretty the broken pieces were... and how sad it was that they were also broken.

...it had made sense back then, but her face turned flushed whenever she remembered that moment. Madara wisely never brought it up again. He was probably still confused and didn’t want to think too deeply about it, obviously disturbed by her tears.

Sakura looked up, unfortunately with tears rimming her reddened eyes, as Izuna entered the room. He’d been holding the tray of steaming tea and had turned pale when he saw the trail of tears that slid down her face.

“Sakura-san, are you okay?” he quickly placed the tray down on the nearby table and kneeled in front of her. “Is something wrong? Are you in pain? Where the hell is aniki, leaving his wife behind like this?”

“I’m fine! I’m fine!” she rushed, grabbing onto Izuna’s arm before he did something rash. Last time, Madara had literally picked her up and rushed her to Mito, believing that since the woman was close to her, she’d know what was wrong. No amount of pleading to return home could change his mind and Sakura had ended up exchanging mild gossip over tea with Mito for a few hours, knowing Madara wouldn’t be comfortable returning home until he was sure she let out whatever was worrying her... when there was nothing really worrying her.

She couldn’t help it! She just cried sometimes without meaning to!

Though in this case, there was a reason. She just couldn’t share it.

“Izuna-san, please. Let’s have tea together,” she tugged at him a little harder, using her super strength to force him down. He fell with a light thud, looking at her in amazement. Sakura could only hope he didn’t go on a spiel about the dangers of using chakra while pregnant. Madara had also tried that and she didn’t want to relive that moment again. “I’m sorry for crying. It’s just something that comes with being pregnant. You will have to be patient with me in that regard.”

“Of course, Sakura-san. M-My apologies over my behavior,” his cheeks were flushed and Sakura couldn’t help but be amazed by how much he looked like Sasuke. It made her instinctively reach out and cup his cheek, feeling another pang of homesickness.

Crap, here come the waterworks again.

“I’m so sorry, Sakura-san!” Izuna stammered, even though he had no idea what he was apologizing for. “Should I get aniki? Where is he?”

Sakura grabbed Izuna’s arm again, preventing him from rushing off. She could hear the slight panic lacing his voice and wondered if Mito went through the same thing with Tobirama. The thought of seeing the normally stoic burly man in a panic almost elicited a snort from her. Instead, she patted Izuna’s arm. “He’s out meeting one of the nearby clans interested in joining Konoha.”

“He left you for that?” Izuna said in disbelief. “Why him? He’s the one with a pregnant wife!”

“The clan insisted on seeing either Hashirama-sama or Madara. Since Hashirama-sama has duties as the Hokage, it made sense that Madara would go instead.” she explained calmly. “If it’s any consolation, he truly didn’t want to leave either.”

It was why the meeting had been delayed for a few days, because Madara had refused to leave Sakura’s side at first.

* * *

_ “Come now, Madara-sama, it wouldn’t do to let them believe that the Uchiha clan head is so weak that he can’t come out from hiding behind his wife’s kimono. It will only be for a few weeks. Sakura-san will be fine.” _

_ “It wouldn’t do for us to welcome into our fold people who believe it is disgraceful that men would cherish their pregnant wives,” Madara smoothly countered, his smoldering eyes belying the calmness of his words. “I’m afraid you’ll have to do better than that to change my mind.” _

* * *

In fact, it was actually Mito who had changed Madara’s mind. She’d promised Madara that Sakura would be fine, assuring him that Hashirama had left her for a period time amidst her pregnancy due to political matters that needed to be addressed and she’d been fine as well. Madara had merely grunted that he was different from that fool, but had softened enough to have his mind changed when Sakura had also promised not to venture to the hospital to work while he was out. He knew how much that meant to her since it meant leaving her patients alone, tended by her assistants instead of her through her own diligence.

Sakura smiled at Izuna. “It’s partially why I wanted to have tea with you, especially after I’d heard of your return. Being trapped inside like this can be very frustrating. Mito tries to visit, but she’s busy with her son. Hashirama-sama occasionally visits, but he’s very busy as well and can’t linger for too long.”

“How much longer until aniki returns?”

“Another few days,” she murmured. “It may be longer depending on the weather, but Madara promised to return before the new moon arises and we both know he always keeps his promises.”

The line caused him to smile as he could easily see his brother tearing through the snow to return to his wife, weather by damned. Still, knowing that his sister-in-law was alone and vulnerable like this didn't sit well with him. She may be a renowned and respected kunoichi, but she was pregnant and her husband wasn't around to protect her if needed.

The conflict within him must've been obvious as Sakura smiled at him. "Will you keep me company until he returns?"

"O-Of course," Izuna quickly reassured.

"Thank you," Sakura rested her hand on her bulging belly and his sharp eyes caught how she shifted in obvious discomfort. It made him want to fidget, unsure of how to help. Again, Sakura seemed to notice as she giggled softly. "Don't mind me. Carrying your nephew can be quite hard on my lower back."

Izuna nodded absentmindedly, remembering the passing gossip he'd sometimes hear. Of how the great and terrible Madara could be seen holding onto his wife, one hand reassuringly and protectively on her lower back while she leaned against him for support as they went about their evening or early morning strolls. But then, he paused as her words registered in his head. "...nephew?"

His dumbfounded look made Sakura laugh. "Yes. Nephew. Madara and I are having a son."

"T-Truly? How can you tell?"

"A medic has her ways," she merely teased and the gentle, motherly atmosphere around her gradually wore his anxiety and Izuna found himself smiling hesitantly back at her.

A nephew.

His brother's son.

Izuna stared down at his tea. It felt so surreal. Not so long ago, they'd all been fighting for their lives, trying to massacre each other, and now... now here they were where the Uchiha matriarch was an Uzumaki, carrying the next heir who would be the physical proof of the alliance held between the Uchiha and the Senju.

It was still... so hard to believe.

They were now at a time of peace, a time in which they did not have to concern themselves with hunting others and being the hunted. No longer did they walk through the forest of their territory, concerned of an attack by the Senju or the nearby Hyuuga. The forest was now all theirs. They were all brothers at arms.

...but for how long?

Izuna's chest clenched tightly and he struggled not to break his composure. A nephew. A new addition to the Clan. He would be so small and weak, so vulnerable to outside attacks. What if someone broke the alliance? What if someone took advantage of their lowered guards and sunk their poisonous fangs into the soft heels of a naive child, his nephew who would be one of the first of the new Uchiha generation to grow up in a time of potential peace?

Tobirama's image flashed through Izuna's mind and his fist clenched subconsciously. That man did not trust the Uchiha and will likely never will. He would find ways to divide the village and turn everyone against the Uchiha, so that everyone would look towards the Uchiha with disgust and suspicion.

And then when they least expect it...

"Tobirama-sama visited not so long before you arrived," the name and the voice of his sister-in-law broke him from his thoughts and Izuna jerked his head up towards her in alarm. "It's quite amazing how alike you two are."

Izuna's face scrunched up involuntarily in disgust and Sakura laughed.

"Truly. You two love so hard and are so stubborn. His reactions were also the same at the time when Madara was requested out of the village. He was quite unhappy that the clan wanted Madara to leave while I was pregnant. I suppose he then took it upon himself to make sure I was well while Madara was away. He has visited every day since Madara's departure."

"Alone?" He choked in alarm.

Sakura tilted her head. "Yes. He is family as well."

Izuna bit his tongue at that, not wanting to acknowledge that if the white haired bastard was Sakura's family, it meant openly admitting that  _ he _ was family with him as well. Instead, he scowled petulantly and looked away. To his consternation, it simply made Sakura laugh again.

And then he paused, eyeing her furtively. "You are teasing me."

"Is that not what siblings do?" Her eyes glowed warmly with her words.

Again, he was taken aback by her openness to claim him as her own, to claim basically everyone as her family. She was definitely the source of Madara's recent behavior, his constant stubbornness on how the entire village was one, so they should start behaving by that fact.

Izuna paused, unable to decide how to feel about this. It was unsettling and, if he were more honest, frightening at how things were developing... no,  _ changing _ . Would this change be for the better? It was so dangerous. So risky.

Aniki was happy and so hopeful. Izuna's heart clenched at the possibility of someone destroying that hope, of betraying that trust and ruining his dear brother beyond repair. They'd already suffered so much.

If that happened... if that happened...

"Izuna-san," again, his sister-in-law's voice broke him from his thoughts and he turned to her, worried she knew what he was thinking... but also quietly concerned if she'd use some black magic to quell his fears as she'd done with Madara. No, no, that was unfair to her. Sakura-san had been nothing but helpful, nothing but-. "Would you like to feel?"

"P-Pardon?"

Sakura placed a hand on her bulging stomach and smiled serenely. "Your nephew. He's kicking up a fuss right now. Perhaps he's aware that his uncle finally came to visit?"

Will this woman ever cease to both frighten and amaze him in the span of a few minutes? His encounter with her so far had been one of the most nervewracking moments of his entire life, worse than when he and his brethren had been surrounded by the Senju and on the verge of death. It was making his head spin. He couldn't keep up with her and the flow of his own thoughts.

"Come here," taking his silence as consent, Sakura gestured for him to come closer.

Obediently, he shifted closer to her until he was within distance of touching her stomach. His movements were slow and exaggerated, his discomfort obvious. Sakura was clearly amused by all this as she observed him with peering eyes, eventually reaching out to grab him by the wrist and guiding his hand towards her stomach.

Izuna swallowed hard at the feel of it. Her belly felt so firm and yet, at the same time, had a softness and a vulnerability that made him want to scoop her up and carry her into her room, to sit watch in front of her door until aniki returned to resume his duties. If only he had completed his diplomatic mission earlier. He might’ve been able to convince the clan that he was a suitable substitute for Madara. Then Sakura-san wouldn’t be alone like this right now. She’d be with her husband and he’d be rubbing her back for her and caring for her and-.

His entire body froze when he felt the nudge against his fingertips. It was subtle, but in no way could he have missed the sensation of something pushing against him in what was obviously a soft kick. It disappeared so quickly that Izuna thought he’d imagined it at first, until he felt it again.

Sakura smiled when she saw his rapt attention, the way Izuna’s sharingan was unconsciously summoned as he concentrated on her stomach. “Tobirama-sama remarked that he is very strong.”

“He has felt your stomach as well?” Izuna looked up at her with a frown and Sakura smothered her giggle.

“No, he has not,” she reassured. “But we all know that he’s quite the sensitive sensor. He said that your nephew’s chakra was glowing magnificently and said that he’ll grow to be very powerful. Between you and me, Tobirama-sama also said that his chakra felt very warm... very amiable.”

Izuna made a face. “He actually said something like that?”

“Yes he did,” Sakura said with a knowing grin. “He’s not that bad, Izuna-san. I believe, he’s one of the few who probably understands you best, having gone and lived through matters in a similar fashion to yourself. Both being the brothers of powerful shinobi, the heirs to great families... both also the victims of much hardship... and much loss...”

There was no response from Izuna this time, his focus back onto her stomach. Sakura didn’t say anything as Izuna tentatively sent tendrils of chakra into her stomach and when she didn’t protest at all, he reached further until he could feel the steady thrum of chakra that belonged to his unborn nephew. Izuna was no sensor like Tobirama, but direct interaction like this told many things to him.

Yes... his nephew truly would grow to be strong.

He closed his eyes, focusing at the way the unborn babe’s chakra flickered against his own, brushing curiously against him with a gentle and clumsy strum. Izuna guided the small, yet vibrant chakra, enveloping his chakra around it and letting him feel the warmth of his own life energy. It was a way shinobi family often introduced themselves to the not yet born, so that the moment they are brought into their world, the child would immediately feel comforted by the presence of the one they knew was family.

_ Hello little nephew... _

It made Izuna’s chest tighten as he felt the tiny blip of chakra respond to his own. He could only wonder what Madara and Sakura were feeling. This was not even his own child and yet, he couldn’t help but feel so fiercely protective over him. To provide only safety and comfort, to shield it from the horrors that he and Madara had grown up knowing to be life as it is. Konoha would need to be so, so much stronger if it was to be a powerful village that no one would dare attack.  _ They _ would have to become so much stronger to become the shield of this village.

For the future generation.

Izuna then stilled, understanding finally dawning upon him... on why Madara was so stubborn nowadays in making sure that everyone believed Konoha to be one family, of one mind.

How could he have ever believed that Konoha could grow stronger if they were not united? If they all continued to regard each other in suspicion and in anticipation of betrayal? How could he ever contemplate allowing his clansmen to show their vulnerable backs to the other residents of this village if he did not trust such people to guard it? And for him to believe that the shinobi of Konoha were worthy allies, that meant he would have to help them grow... to build them up until he believed they were strong enough to protect the Uchiha... to protect Konoha.

Because they were family.

They were now all one clan.

Izuna slowly pulled his hand away from Sakura’s stomach, his eyes downcast in deep contemplation.

What sort of life did he want for his young nephew?

To regard everyone here to be family, to be of the same alliance... it would mean forgetting the traumas and nightmares that those people had inflicted upon him and the rest of the Uchiha. But at the same time, those same people would have to put aside their own anger and sadness that the Uchiha had inflicted upon them.

...a cycle of hatred.

Where had it even begun? Izuna only knew of the tales spoken within the clan and he could only wonder how different such stories would be under the perspective of another clan. What sort of blame and hatred would be emitted towards the Uchiha if he were to hear the Senju Clan’s version of such accounts?

But no matter the origins, they at least had the power to decide how this would end.

“You said...” he began slowly, “that the Senju... that Tobirama visits you every day?”

Sakura nodded. “Yes.”

“...then I will be here tomorrow at the same time as well,” Izuna murmured before slowly raising his eyes to meet hers. “My nephew will have several uncles, after all... and I am determined to be the favorite.”

Sakura stared at him in obvious surprise before she smiled at him, happy by his unexpected words. “Of course. Tobirama-sama often joins me for tea after lunch. Please feel free to drop by whenever you’re available. I’m sure Tobirama-sama would enjoy the additional company as well, more so than my hormonal blubbering.”

“I highly doubt that fact,” Izuna remarked dryly, “...but I’ll do my best.”

Because if his own visit with Sakura-san was enough to change his mind so drastically like this, he could only wonder the effects she’d had on Tobirama, who had probably had several visits with her by now. It certainly did explain why Tobirama was less hostile towards Madara and actually defended him, Sakura’s influence obviously showing on both of them. 

And if Tobirama was willing to change for the sake of the new future.

Well... Izuna was never one to allow a damn Senju to beat him in anything.

He turned his attention back to his sister-in-law, to thank her for inviting him over like this and to apologize for not visiting sooner. The words, however, remained caught in his throat as he, to his utter embarrassment, finally noticed the cloak draped over her shoulders. He’d been so aghast that aniki had left her alone and for the fact that he had no idea how to properly attend to a pregnant woman, that it had completely escaped him of the cloak protectively cocooning her form against the cold winter air.

It was obviously much too large for her petite frame, the material heavy and thick, such expensive fabric normally only seen adorning those who were the head of esteemed Clans.

It made him want to snort. Of course. He should have known better.

As if aniki would ever truly leave Sakura-san unguarded.

The cloak of the Uchiha Clan head was wrapped possessively around the shoulders of his matriarch, daring others to even lay a scathing glance on her person. The embroidered uchiwa proudly ablazed from behind her and Izuna internally shook his head in amusement at his brother’s antics.

At least there were some things he could confidently say would never change.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello,
> 
> This is just something simple I had contemplated writing a long time ago when I wrote Arranged Marriage. I'd originally meant to keep it to myself because I wasn't sure if anyone would be interested; this is just a fun little slice of life moment with family. I changed my mind and decided to share, however, since people seemed to like Arranged Marriage a lot. :)
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed.
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> Sorry for the silly mistakes. Like most of my fanfics, this was written with my phone.
> 
> Edit (05.07.2020): Russian version by Tanya, for anyone interested!! (https://ficbook.net/readfic/9362009)


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